1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of multimedia delivery networks, and specifically in one aspect to using available bandwidth on the network in order to provide both optimized revenue and delivery of video services over a content-based network such as a cable television network.
2. Description of Related Technology
One significant competitive challenge presently faced by network operators relates to managing and conserving bandwidth. This includes the reclamation of otherwise under-utilized or unused bandwidth such that the service and/or customer base can be expanded without significant modifications or build-outs of the underlying network infrastructure. For example, it is desirable to expand the types and availability of “next-generation” network services, including high-definition (HD) broadcast, VoD, high-speed data, VoIP, Interactive TV, etc. over time, without the need for major capital expenditures or system modifications. Hence, network operators are increasingly focused on techniques for “squeezing” as much capacity out of their existing networks as possible.
In a conventional cable network, bandwidth planning and usage tends to be relatively static over time. A network operator periodically changes the channel line-up to delete channels, add new channels and services or change the relationship between logical channel map and frequency domain location of the channels. Channel line-up changes are performed typically few times a year to meet the engineering and business needs and resource available in the network. Thus, channels available in the network stay relatively static when compared to the frequency with which subscribers tune in and out of various program channels. Additionally, when a specific channel lineup is put in place, the network bandwidth utilization remains fairly static, regardless of how many subscribers are viewing which programs at any given time.
Broadcast Switched Architecture (BSA) cable television networks such as that described in co-assigned application Ser. No. 09/956,688, entitled “Technique for Effectively Providing Program Material in a Cable Television System”, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, deliver only a subset of available programming to network subscribers in order to optimize bandwidth. Delivery of programming is typically based on customer requests for programming; however, bandwidth consumption may vary greatly during the day. In a fixed bandwidth model, the BSA architecture delivers a fixed amount of programming based on the fixed bandwidth constraint; the programming actually delivered at any given time will be only a fraction of the total of the programming available to the user base.
Based on such constraints, the foregoing need for bandwidth optimization and reclamation associated with a traditional network architecture is also applicable to switched network architectures. Since switches within the network are used to selectively provide only those channels actually watched or requested by users to their hubs or nodes for delivery, this allows for the deletion of unwatched channels from the digital broadcast stream. A “deleted” channel is automatically switched back on when a subscriber subsequently selects it, with the switching and delivery transition being for all intents and purposes transparent to the subscriber. This approach has obvious benefits from the standpoint of bandwidth conservation.
The need for bandwidth conservation and the choice of multiple services a network operator can provide to the subscribers (e.g., broadcast, VoD, PVR/DVR, DOCSIS, VoIP, etc.) gives rise to new opportunities in terms of how to use incremental available bandwidth so as to best maximize the operator's revenue or profit. This is particularly true in the BSA context. One such source of revenue or profit is third party advertising. Accordingly, the type and distribution of such advertising is a very significant determinant of network operator revenue/profits.
In conventional cable networks, advertisement revenues depend largely on the footprint of the network and the number of subscribers. As described below, advertisements or similar promotional content may be inserted at the national level, or locally (e.g., by the network operator). The revenues generated are determined in large part based on the program stream into which the advertisements are inserted, and the time of delivery (e.g., prime-time). Advertisers may know for example that a target demographic, such as 18-30 year-old females, has a very high viewership for a certain program at a certain time. Hence, their advertisement will likely obtain a high number of “looks” or impressions, and accordingly their likely benefits in terms of such 18-30 year-old females buying their products will be higher. Accordingly, the price that can be charged for such advertising placement is accordingly high. This system may be indexed for example to third party indicia such as the well-known Nielsen Ratings.
However, in the BSA architecture, more control over “who sees what” in terms of advertisement is possible, and revenue may be tied to a per-viewing model, where revenue is collected based how many subscribers requested and viewed a particular program or advertisement, as well as the demographic profile of the subscriber requesting the program.
A variety of different approaches to bandwidth optimization in light of revenue or profit considerations are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,431 to Eager, et al, issued Nov. 28, 2006 entitled “Method for reduced bandwidth for on-demand data streaming using mini-clusters” discloses an improvement on dynamic skyscraper delivery of continuous media programs, such as video, divides the channels used for the delivery of the video into leading and trailing groups. A cluster defining on transmission of a program can then be broken into mini-clusters in the leading group which may be freely matched to full clusters in the lower group with loosened alignment requirements. This decoupling provides more efficient allocation of bandwidth to on-demand consumer requests and permits strategic opportunities to merge requests with concurrently allocated bandwidth for similar programs.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,075,945 to Arsenault, et al, issued Jul. 11, 2006 entitled “Dynamic mapping of broadcast resources” discloses a method wherein in a data communication system such as a high capacity DBS system, dynamic mapping of broadcast resources is provided to exploit occasional redundancy in the program content of two or more input data streams, freeing at least one broadcast resource to carry alternate bitstreams, such as additional programs or existing programs at higher quality. Transmission maps defining the correspondence between input data streams and broadcast resources, and reception maps defining the correspondence between broadcast resources and output data streams, are updated as needed to dynamically modify broadcast resource mapping to increase effective utilization of available bandwidth. Beneficial n:n-y:m mapping in a high capacity consumer DBS entertainment system is provided. Apparatus and methods for generating, maintaining and updating allocation maps with reduced overhead requirements, are disclosed.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20020087976 to Kaplan, et al. published Jul. 4, 2002 entitled “System and method for distributing video with targeted advertising using switched communication networks” discloses a system and method for delivering broadcast-quality video with targeted advertising to viewers over the switched communication network. According to one embodiment, program streams with appropriately inserted splice points are transmitted from a network headend node to one or more egress nodes via a switched network. Because the switched network only carries program streams while advertising is inserted at the edges of the network, programs with demographically-targeted advertising can be delivered to many different subscribers without the need for using the bandwidth of the switched network to carry a unique program and advertising stream for each demographic group from the head end node.
One significant issue or disability with the foregoing methods relates to their lack of ability to combine availability of network resources with the profile of subscribers requesting programs. The aforementioned prior art performs optimization on one aspect or the other of available network bandwidth or other network resources, without taking into account the totality of considerations needed to optimize revenues for the network operator.
Another significant issue with prior art approaches to bandwidth optimization in content-based networks (including the aforementioned broadcast switched architectures) relates to the requirement for manual intervention or input on the part of the network operator (e.g., MSO) in order to make best use of the available bandwidth. Specifically, many such systems require periodic operator adjustment or input in the form of re-arranged channel line-up, which may also include the requirement for periodic evaluation of the subscriber's viewing or tuning habits, and the generation of adjustments to be inserted into the system control functions based thereon. One disability with this approach is the need for constant (or near-constant) operator vigilance. Another disability is latency; the operator is basically always lagging the problem since changes in subscriber habits can occur rapidly, and the efficacy of any corrections made by the operator will in large part depend on the timeliness with which the operator performs his/her analysis and corrective action/adjustment. Greater operator vigilance is also required when the system is approaching the limits of its capacity, since excursions in demand or changes in viewer habits can easily cause an over-demand condition (potentially resulting in a loss of service to one or more subscribers for a period of time).
Hence, based on the foregoing, there is a distinct need for improved apparatus and methods that permit optimization of costs and benefits to the network operator of fulfilling a program viewing request made by a subscriber on a request-by-request (i.e., per CPE) basis, and effectively in real time. Ideally, such apparatus and methods would allow for the selection, from among multiple revenue generation/service options, the option (or collection of related options) most optimal at a given time.
Moreover, such improved apparatus and methods would allow for optimization of network resources such as bandwidth based on the requesting subscriber's demographic or other particular profile. Efficient use of “targeted” advertising would also be available, that would also maintain high signal quality through delivery to the subscriber.
Such improved apparatus and methods would also preferably work with a set of rules defined by a network operator, without undue manual intervention, or continuous vigilance by the network operator.